This article is about diamonds. For the ideograph of a "heart pierced by an arrow", see Heart symbol.

Hearts and Arrows Diamonds are precision cut variations of the traditional 57 faceted round brilliant cut. They are cut to “ideal proportions” with superior optical symmetry, polish and a specific faceting pattern. When all these factors are in harmony the result is a repeatable, near perfect pattern of eight symmetrical arrows in the face up position called 'crown' and eight symmetrical hearts when viewed in the table down position, called 'pavilion'.

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The original Hearts and Arrows were diamonds that surfaced in the mid 80’s in Japan and embodied three important design factors. First, they were cut to “ideal proportions”, very close to those summarized by Marcel Tolkowsky in his 1919 book, Diamond Design. Second, they were cut with superior physical and optical symmetry so that they would garner a grade of “Excellent” in the Japanese laboratories. The third and very important factor was that they were cut to a very specific brilliantine scheme to produce the accepted hearts and arrows pattern. This faceting scheme involves prescribed lengths and ratios as well as smaller tables sizes that are imperative in producing a distinctive, repeatable and gradable hearts and arrows pattern.

Less than 1% of the world's diamonds are cut to hearts and arrows optical symmetry precision. This is in large part due to the greater amount of rough diamond that necessitates additional polishing to create diamonds with this precise optical symmetry. Diamond polishers take up to three times longer to cut diamonds of this quality and nearly 15% greater waste of the original diamond rough material is lost.[1] Using 100X magnification and analysis through all stages of production, the artisanal cutters create perfection at 10X global standards for grading and evaluation. It is for these reasons that this diamond cut is sold at a premium and are more expensive than average/inferior cut diamonds.

To see the hearts and arrows pattern in a diamond one must employ a specially designed light directing viewer called a Firescope. The Hearts and Arrows Viewer is a rather simple device that allows the viewer to analyze the physical symmetry, contrast and alignment of facets of a diamond by viewing the stone through both the top (crown area) and bottom (pavilion area) of a diamond, by directing white and colored light at set angles in order to catch and reflect light back from specific facets and angles of the diamond.

Hearts and Arrows certification and scientific and technical research[edit]

In the early mid-1990s when Hearts and Arrows (aka H&A) began to trickle into America, they were much more high-tech than the grading labs were. When GIA began to encounter H&A diamonds a few things jumped out from the report. The diamonds were extremely round, tables were 55-57%, the girdles were medium or thin to medium and polish and symmetry were excellent. This kind of consistent cutting was unheard of at the time and cut grading did not exist yet in America.

IGI (International Gemological Institute) is also one of the laboratories that certify Hearts and Arrows.

The WTOCD (Wetenschappelijk technish Onderzoeks Centrum voor Diamand) is one of the most import scientific and technical research centers for diamonds. A proprietary software was developed by WTOCD to analyze the images according to the H&A by HRD Antwerp guidelines. Based on measurements of the H&A patterns, an expert system makes an evaluation of the guidelines. The system delivers consistent, objectively measured, H&A grades.

Diamonds with a Hearts and Arrows cut command a price premium in the world's market, reflecting the generally greater time needed to produce them and the greater loss of weight from rough, as well as their generally better overall cut quality. It has also become a popular sales tool in diamond marketing. Although the «Hearts and Arrows» property is indicative of a top-tier cut, it does not always mean the diamond will be the most brilliant, and should be looked at in conjunction with the cut grade. However, a Hearts and Arrows Grading in conjunction with Excellent or Ideal cut grade will give a superb sparkle.

Some in the diamond industry disagree on which diamonds should receive the "Hearts and Arrows" label. Because there used to be no industry standard, one person or company may say a diamond is a Hearts and Arrows diamond while another may say it is not. In the industry, the term "super ideal" is a common term that is coined and used to describe diamonds displaying perfect optical symmetry. Most diamonds with an overall cut graded by GIA as "Excellent" (with Excellent symmetry as well) or American Gem Society as "0" (or "Ideal") will have some sort of hearts and arrows pattern when seen through a viewer, although the pattern may not be perfect. All in the diamond industry believe the Hearts and Arrows pattern should be graded, and only those with the top grade should be called Hearts and Arrows. Those people believe just the presence of Hearts and Arrows pattern alone is not enough to be considered a hearts and arrows diamond, the pattern must be perfect to fit within certain guidelines.

There are generally five main components that help to define a "Hearts and Arrows" super-ideal cut diamond. These include a diamond's:

Nowadays IGI and HRD grade Hearts & Arrows optimal cut, and IGI have a specific certificate. GIA does not grade Hearts & Arrows cuts, although GIA certificates will sometimes contain a note stating "Laser Inscription: H&A." This note on the GIA certificate simply indicates that "H&A" was laser inscribed on the diamond before it was graded by GIA. Neither the "H&A" laser inscription nor the corresponding note on the GIA certificate is an indication that GIA observed hearts and arrows patterns on the diamond.

The diamond industry is still somewhat behind the latest technological advances in hearts and arrows precise optical symmetry and thus have not established firm criteria for evaluating stones on this level. For consumers looking to purchase stones of this cut quality it is best to review hearts and arrows images under a H&A viewer.[3]